On 01.11.3 11:47 PM, "David Sawyer" <shin-on@mindspring.com> opined:
> This is fascinating to me! Stav's emphasis in his letter is upon competance.
> The C-word. In the years that I've been studying, my continuing motivation
> has always been the simple joy of putting the instrument to my lips,
> enjoying the shape, material, warmth in my hands and being simply thrilled
> that I can make any sound at all out of the damned thing!
> The notion of competance surely can only arise out of self-judgement, the
> bane of any creative activity.
> David Sawyer
>
I was just about to go to bed when I got this, and I don't think I can pass
up responding....
Are you saying that no self-critique and judgment are allowed?
Does this mean that all the incredible musicians and artists the world has
produced have all not judged their own performances and techniques as part
of making themselves better? If the answer to this is "no," then have they
all lacked creativity?
Sure I play shakuhachi for myself, but I also play it for others. It is a
gift to share. Just last night I played an old song that was popular about
30 years ago to a bunch of elderly people (Ringo Oiwake). I learned to play
the song because I love it too, but when I practiced in preparation to play
to them, I did so knowing I would be performing for an audience, and I
wanted to give them the best experience possible. I could feel their
response when I played; it was both an emotional one and a surprised one
that this white guy would ever think of playing this song that was popular
before he was born, much less on a shakuhachi.
I was grateful to be able to give them a good experience, and I hope that as
I get better and better I will be able to elicit stronger and stronger
experiences of beauty out of people when I play.
That is my goal, at least, and I don't think it's reachable without
constructive self-criticism. There has to be balance; not too much
self-criticism, but not a total lack of it either. Sure, the first is
stifling to creativity, but the second is kind of solipsistic and sterile as
well, I think.
Just another opinion,
Zachary Braverman
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Zachary Braverman
J-E Translation
zachary@kotodama.net
Oita, Japan
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